On Chen Xiyao's game panel, the Traveler's next action appeared: "Try to find Venti (Barbatos)."
Four possible locations were listed: the summit of Dragonspine, Starsnatch Cliff, Stormterror's Lair, and Windrise.
Lumine and Paimon set off to find Venti.
They first went to Windrise but didn't find him. Then they tried Starsnatch Cliff and Stormterror's Lair, but he wasn't there either.
Could Venti be outside Mondstadt?
Finally, Paimon shouted "Tonedeaf Bard!" into the sky several times. Venti—or rather, Barbatos—finally appeared.
Paimon: "Ba... Barbatos, what's wrong?"
Barbatos's expression was grim. Paimon initially thought he was angry about being called "Tonedeaf Bard," but Barbatos clearly didn't care about such things. He said:
"I know why you've come. The wind has blanketed all of Mondstadt, but so far, there are no leads."
Barbatos shed his Divine Regalia and transformed back into Venti.
"Venti, are you alright?" Lumine asked, setting aside her anger over Rola's stolen corpse to inquire about Venti's unusual demeanor.
"I'm fine, don't worry. I'm just furious. The Abyss's actions have enraged me."
Lumine seized on the keyword: "The Abyss? This incident was caused by the Abyss again?!"
The mere mention of the Abyss now ignited Lumine's fury. If she ever encountered their forces, she would draw her sword and attack without hesitation!
Venti nodded. "Since you're here, could you do me a favor and travel to Liyue? Tell the Old Man to guard the Kaiyang's corpse carefully. With me here, that thief won't escape!"
Venti spoke with unwavering confidence, his voice laced with killing intent.
This was the first time Lumine had ever heard Venti speak in such a tone. The gentle Anemo Archon reserved his kindness for the virtuous, but against his enemies, he would reveal his true sharpness.
Lumine chose to trust Venti and set off for Liyue to inform Zhongli of the situation.
If Rola's remains had been stolen, could Qingge's be next?
[Baby Venti is angry!]
[Angry Venti's eyes are terrifying! The contrast with his usual demeanor is shocking!]
[It's not just Venti who's angry—I'm furious too! Killing someone is one thing, but desecrating their grave?!]
[I wonder if this "old friend" is the same black-robed figure. If so, it's that old friend again.]
[They're even trying to steal Qingge's corpse? How can the Old Man tolerate this?!]
[Is the Abyss really this disgusting?!]
At dawn, Puppet Qingge returned to the foot of Tianheng Mountain. She first checked to see if anyone was still watching. When she confirmed that someone was still keeping an eye on the area, she gave up completely.
With Zhongli watching, there was no chance she could dig up Qingge's corpse.
As she left, Qingge deliberately left behind some clues—the kind Zhongli would find if he searched carefully—to prove that she... no, that the Abyss had indeed been here.
After all, it wouldn't make sense to steal from Mondstadt but not from Liyue.
It was only natural that she failed with someone constantly watching. Now was the perfect time to leave before being discovered.
Lumine and Paimon teleported directly to Tianheng Mountain.
They first went to Qingge's Grave and breathed a sigh of relief when they found it undisturbed.
Just to be safe, they went to Liyue Harbor and found Zhongli listening to a storyteller.
Noticing they seemed to have urgent news, Zhongli gestured for Lumine and Paimon to sit down.
Lumine didn't hesitate and plopped down, while Paimon hovered nearby—practically the same as sitting.
"What brings you two here?" Zhongli asked.
Lumine glanced around. "Speak freely," Zhongli assured her.
As the Geo Archon, he naturally had ways to make those around him ignore their presence.
"The Abyss has struck Mondstadt again," Lumine said. "This time, they dug up Rola's grave and stole her body. Venti sent us to warn you!"
Zhongli frowned. "How is Venti now?"
"He's furious," Lumine replied. "He's searching all of Mondstadt for the grave robber."
Zhongli nodded slowly. "Thank you for the warning. With me watching over Liyue, Qingge's grave will remain undisturbed."
Knowing Qingge's grave was safe, Lumine and Paimon had completed Venti's mission. They were eager to return to Mondstadt and track down the grave robber themselves.
After Lumine and Paimon left, Zhongli traveled to Tianheng Mountain.
After careful investigation, he discovered a subtle clue halfway up the mountain.
This was the trail Puppet Qingge had deliberately left earlier, skillfully placed to avoid arousing Zhongli's suspicion while remaining discoverable.
Zhongli stood at this spot for a long time before suddenly moving to another corner, where he paused briefly.
This corner was precisely where Qingge had been trapped and hiding at dawn.
If Qingge had witnessed Zhongli's actions, she would have exclaimed in admiration: "Truly worthy of being Rex Lapis!"
Zhongli couldn't help but feel relieved. If he had looked away even for a moment, this stealthy creature might have succeeded in its mission.
The anomaly the Bard sensed earlier must have been the digging of Rola's Grave. Did it refrain from acting then because Cloud Retainer and the others were still present?
Zhongli wouldn't let it off the hook just because it hadn't struck yet. Having come with such intentions, it was absolutely unforgivable!
Liyue had a saying: "Respect the dead." This act was utterly inexcusable.
The Abyss's actions proved they had a new plan. Liyue was not a nation that would remain silent after repeated provocations from the Abyss, and neither would Morax.
While searching for the Abyss's agents, Zhongli began formulating his own counter-strategy.
-
Rola had been submerged for half a day, slowly trudging through the water until she reached the beach at the northwestern corner of Stormbearer Mountains.
The water was truly difficult to navigate, especially at night, when it was pitch black. To make matters worse, she couldn't surface for air.
It was fortunate she could remain submerged for extended periods without needing to breathe, or she would have floated to the surface long ago.
Whenever Rola considered surfacing, a sense of impending doom washed over her.
The poor visibility underwater caused her to get lost several times before she finally managed to reach the shore.
The only small comfort was that Rola had stored her true corpse in a small personal space, sparing her the burden of carrying it.
Wading out of the water, Rola collapsed onto the beach.
Even puppets tire and need rest.
Lying there felt blissful, and she had no desire to move.
"Traveler, there's someone over there. Let's go check it out!"
The familiar voice rang in her ears. Rola remained motionless, but her heart surged with panic.
No way... Lumine and Paimon?!